"Mmm..." Little Xi Tian squirmed and slowly opened her eyes.
She had been wrapped up like a zongzi again by Du Tie Shan, covered with a wool blanket, a cotton-padded jacket, a scarf around her neck, and a little hat on her head.
The temperature inside the carriage was already high, and Little Xi Tian felt as if she had jumped into a furnace. It was so hot!
"Hot!" Little Xi Tian kicked off the wool blanket.
Seeing this, Du Tie Shan said with a wry smile, "It's cold outside, be careful not to get a runny nose!"
As she spoke, she picked up the wool blanket again and spread it over Little Xi Tian.
Little Xi Tian: "......"
Was she going to be covered until she broke out in a heat rash?
"Sister Shan Shan, why did we stop?" Little Xi Tian rubbed her eyes and sat up, curious.
Du Tie Shan lifted the curtain and glanced outside. "It seems there's a large group of people ahead, and looking at their attire, they seem to be all soldiers..."
Upon hearing this, Little Xi Tian was puzzled. "Why are there so many soldiers in this desolate place?"
She had a vague premonition that something was wrong.
This was probably the reason she insisted on coming along.
After the carriage left Da Shui Village, everything had been smooth sailing. But just as they were nearing Sister Shan Shan's village, they were blocked on the road...
Yun Er Man lifted the curtain at the front of the carriage, rubbed his hands, and said, "Shan Shan, little sister, do you see? There are many pedestrians blocked ahead. I think it's definitely not a good thing. How about we take a detour?"
He didn't want his wife and sister to get hurt...
"But, but there's only one road for dozens of miles around!" Du Tie Shan looked confused. "Either we go back the way we came, or we wait and see what those soldiers are doing!"
If they didn't figure out what was going on, their trip would have been in vain.
Yun Er Man grunted and nodded. "Okay, you two wait in the carriage, I'll go ahead and take a look..."
After speaking, Yun Er Man lowered the curtain, jumped off the carriage, and walked forward with a pipe in his mouth.
There were hundreds of soldiers gathered here, and dozens of blocked travelers.
Most of the women were crying together, while the men were being taken away by the soldiers...
"Old sir, what's happening up ahead? Why are those women crying?" Yun Er Man walked up to an old man and asked.
The old man glanced at him, looking as if he had seen a ghost, his face full of surprise. "My heavens, young man, why are you still daring to go forward? Don't you want to live?"
Yun Er Man: "???"
What was going on?
Did these soldiers dare to kill people randomly?
Seeing Yun Er Man staring at him blankly, the old man sighed and explained, "Those soldiers are here to conscript men. My two sons were taken away by them. They said they were going to be sent to the Northern Frontier to fight. Those barbarians are fierce, like wolves and tigers. Will my sons have a chance to survive there? Alas, alas..."
Yun Er Man was shocked and took two steps back. "Conscript men?"
Would the court allow such a thing?
They didn't train soldiers normally, and in times of crisis, they would send unarmed civilians to the front lines. Wasn't that sending them to their deaths?
"Yes, if they see a young man like you, they'll definitely take you away. You should leave quickly, hurry, hurry!" the old man pushed Yun Er Man.
Yun Er Man came to his senses and intended to turn and run.
If he were taken away, what would happen to his parents, Xiao Bao, and Jin Shan?
His eldest brother and third brother were out collecting furs, and his fourth brother had gone to the capital. There wasn't a single laborer at home. If he wasn't there either, wouldn't his father be worked to death?
But as he took two steps forward, a soldier glanced over and shouted, "Hey, hey, hey, you, yes, you!"
Yun Er Man stopped in his tracks, not looking back.
But he clearly heard footsteps approaching.
"Oh no, this is it."
"What are you running for? Come here!" the soldier frowned and roared.
Yun Er Man glanced at the carriage not far away, his heart burning with anxiety...
"Turn around and let me see you!" the soldier commanded.
Yun Er Man gritted his teeth and turned around. He saw a burly soldier standing in front of him.
He wore an eye patch over one eye and had a prominent scar on his face, so he was tentatively called One-Eyed Dragon.
The One-Eyed Dragon sized up Yun Er Man and nodded with satisfaction. "Hmm, not only are you young, but you're also strong. The army needs soldiers like you. Come with us immediately..."
Saying that, the One-Eyed Dragon reached out to grab Yun Er Man's arm.
"Wh-what? What are you doing?" Yun Er Man was greatly alarmed and took several steps back. "I, I don't want to be a soldier, find someone else!~"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" The One-Eyed Dragon frowned and glared at Yun Er Man angrily. "This is a matter of national importance. A young man like you should be the first to charge to the front line and serve the court. Yet you spout such outrageous nonsense. Are you even a man?"
Yun Er Man: "......"
So, not joining the army meant he wasn't a man?
If the court had a strong national power and abundant soldiers, would they need to conscript men?
Didn't he just want to return to his village and live a good life with his wife, children, and family?
Little Xi Tian poked her little head out of the carriage and peeked towards her second brother...
"Something seems wrong!" Little Xi Tian wrinkled her nose.
She had been observing for a while and saw that all the young men were being taken away by the soldiers. Moreover, she heard her uncle say that there was a fierce battle in the Northern Frontier, so these people were likely being forcibly conscripted.
Du Tie Shan also looked anxious. "Sweetie, I'll go down and take a look. You stay here..."
"I want to go with Sister Shan Shan!" Little Xi Tian threw off the wool blanket, tidied her little floral jacket, and jumped directly from the carriage.
Outside, the cold wind was fierce. Looking around, the wasteland was a hazy gray, with not a single house in sight.
The only official road was blocked by soldiers...
Du Tie Shan quickly jumped off the carriage and took Little Xi Tian's hand. "Don't talk nonsense later!"
Little Xi Tian nodded. Those soldiers only took young men and were not interested in a little kid like her.
Seeing Yun Er Man's stubborn refusal to go with them, the One-Eyed Dragon ordered two soldiers to come up and pin him down. "Hmph, I've seen many people like you. Once you get to the barracks, your temper will be worn down in two days. Go, take him away..."
As Yun Er Man's arms were held tightly, the face of Gu Zhen Shan suddenly flashed in his mind.
So he shouted, "General Gu is my uncle, who dares to arrest me?"
The One-Eyed Dragon's expression stiffened upon hearing this, and he suddenly looked at Yun Er Man...